Whether you like it or not, you will probably be working from the comfort of your own home for the foreseeable future. The COVID-19 pandemic forced employers and their employees to figure out the logistics of remote work and adapt to conducting their operations remotely on the fly, giving them almost no time to prepare for the transition. With the initial shock likely having worn off by now for most people, you probably find yourself settling into something resembling a routine. If you still find yourself working at less than optimum efficiency, though, here are some tips for staying professionally successful while you are working from home:

Set a Morning Routine for Yourself and Stick to It

If you want to succeed while you work from home, you should set and try to stick to a morning routine that gets you ready to tackle the day. Wake up at a reasonable hour, drink some water, have a cup of coffee or tea, exercise a little bit, take a shower, eat a hearty breakfast with plenty of protein in it and get dressed just the same as you would if you were going to work at the office. If you take the time to prepare for the day instead of just rolling out of bed and going straight to your desk, you will start off with the frame of mind and focus you need to remain just as professionally successful as you have always been.

Take Frequent Breaks, Even If You Do Not Think You Need Them

While you are working from home, you will not have the chance run-ins with your colleagues in the break room, the impromptu conversations with coworkers who stop by your workspace or spur-of-the-moment team lunches you are used to having. You may not have thought much of these unplanned interactions when you were going to the office every day, but they actually did you some good by forcing you to take unscheduled breaks from your work at unpredictable intervals. Even if you do not feel like you need a break, taking a couple minutes away from your desk would probably do you some good. Go for a walk around your living space or outside, fold some laundry, do some dishes or read something that is not related to work. You will go back to your desk feeling refreshed and ready to dive back into your work.

Do Your Best to Stay in Touch with Your Colleagues

It is important to stay in touch with your colleagues so you can maintain some sense of camaraderie with them while you are all scattered in different places rather than sitting a few feet from one another at the office. Use email, your employer’s instant messaging system, phone calls and video meetings to replace the in-person conversations you are used to having with them. Consider scheduling team meetings or video lunches every so often to facilitate more lighthearted conversations that do not necessarily have to revolve around work.

Do Not Forget to Set Aside Plenty of Time for Yourself and Your Loved Ones

Working from home often blurs the boundaries between work life and non-work life in ways that can be difficult to manage. There is certainly a temptation to start working earlier, stop working later and leave your devices on so you can respond to an urgent phone call, text or email, even outside of regular work hours. Do not fall prey to this urge. Remember that you need to maintain a healthy work-life balance and take time for yourself and your loved ones, especially now.